Over/Under or Straight Coils?

by Richard Cadena

I can be such a scatterhead at times. A couple of weeks ago, we were loading out on a gig. As we were picking up all of the cabling and coiling it up, I asked the owner of the equipment if they wanted it coiled over/under or just straight coils. I always ask because people sometimes have strong opinions about that, right or wrong. The answer I received took me by surprise.


"Straight coils," he said. "Over/undering is for A/V cables, not power cables."

The answer stopped me in my tracks. Of course he's right. I must have known that at some point and just forgotten. But why, I wondered, is that the case?

Off to the Internet I went as soon as I got home to research the subject. The short answer is that any cable with a shield (or screen as they say in the UK) should be coiled over/under, and cables without a shield should not. The reason is that over/under maintains the twist of the conductors and retains the weave of the shield.

Over/undering cables is effectively creating a figure eight and folding it in half. If you do that to a power cable, it works against the twist of the individual strands of wire. Power cables should be coiled as if they are going back on the reel from which they came. You can feel the natural lay of the cable as you coil it, although it sometimes takes a gentle twist to wind it or unwind it properly.

Coiling cables properly is such a basic skill, yet it's so important for helping to maintain the gear and prolong its useful life. And while you're coiling it, make sure to visually inspect it for signs of damage, which could be cuts, holes, or cracks in the insulation, abrasions, damaged strain reliefs, broken pins on connectors, broken wires or terminations, or any other damage. Exposed conductors or other damage could be a hazard, and taking it out of service could prevent injury or death.